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Stay strong and become and antibiotics ambassadorI read with some dismay the finding of a recent medical Protection (MP) survey showing that patients become irate and even abusive towards GP’s if we won’t prescribe antibiotics they think they need.
A third of family doctors have apparently been confronted with ‘anger and frustration’, and I have heard tales of patients threatening to get GP’s struck off, or having to be escorted from the practice premises.
This is symptomatic of a society that no longer respects the GP and is sadly typical of a generation of impatient patients desperate to get better quickly. It is also a case of Dr Internet at its worst again, where myths are pedalled that miracle medications are somehow being denied to the sick.
And the biggest touted cure-all is antibiotics.Read more->Cold shouldn’t spell trouble for the vulnerablePneumonia, falls, asthma attacks due to cold air, even cardiac problems caused by poor circulation – a winter snap is rated as four times more dangerous than any heatwave says Dr Zahid Chauhan GP.
Sometimes as medics, we have to shrug our shoulders and accept that cold weather causes patients problems.Read more->
Don’t put off that visit to the doctorOldham family doctor and health campaigner Dr Zahid Chauhan has warned that postponing a visit to the surgery because you’re frightened, could have horrific consequences.
Brand new research has shown that two-thirds of British people would delay a trip to the doctors because they are fearful of receiving bad news or worried they would be given a lecture about their unhealthy lifestyles.
But Dr Chauhan insists such attitudes “belong in the past” and that health checks, attending NHS screening programmes or even just talking about worries with a medic, could prevent your chances of developing a deadly illness.Read more->Do not let embarrassment smear your chances of survival, says Dr Zahid ChauhanCervical cancer kills nearly 900 hundred women each year and is the most common form of cancer in females under 35 in the UK.
93% of cervical cancer cases are actually preventable through a vaccine called Gardasil (usually administered to girls aged 12-13), avoiding cigarettes (since people who smoke are less able to get rid of the infection which can develop into cancer), hygienic sexual health and regular cervical screening.Read more->GP’s among the first in the country to help the hidden homelessDoctors in Bolton are among the first in the country to ensure the ‘hidden homeless’ do not slip through the net. GP’s in Crompton, Horwich, Ladybridge and Little Lever are making sure they can reach ‘sofa-surfers’ and those living in temporary accommodation. Bolton Community Practice, which has the four sites across the borough, has become the first in the country to publicly pledge to be Homeless – Friendly and ensure their services cater for those with no fixed abode.Read more->Oldham GP Dr Zahid Chauhan urges parents to embrace new advice on snacksNew advice on children’s snacking is being welcomed by Oldham GP Dr. Zahid Chauhan.
The new national campaign urges parents and carers to ‘look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max’ in a bid to reduce the fat intake of children.
It comes after figures showed that a third of UK children are leaving primary school obese or overweight.Read more->

Oldham doctor urges Government to find solution to homelessnessAn OLDHAM doctor is urging the Government to use the New Year to find a sustainable solution to homelessness.Dr Zahid Chauhan, who set up Homeless-Friendly with NHS Greater Manchester practices, has produced a UK Parliamentary petition to persuade politicians to act.Read more->

Medics attend Salvation Army drop-in for Oldham’s vulnerableMedics go out of their way to administer flu jabs for the homeless and vulnerable.
A team from the newly established Homeless Friendly scheme is touring various homeless charities and drop in sessions throughout December.
Their latest flu jab clinic took place at the Salvation Army’s Oldham base in Roundthorn Road, as part of the church’s long-established Friday drop-in sessionRead more->

Oldham surgeries among the first in the country to take part in a campaign by Dr Zahid Chauhan to make Britain Homeless FriendlyTWO Oldham surgeries are among the first nine in the country to take part in a pioneering campaign to make Britain Homeless Friendly.
The scheme asks organisations to examine their policies to make sure rough sleepers, sofa surfers and others without a fixed abode get proper access to services and are reminded that they are valued members of society.Read more->

Oldham GP Dr Zahid Chauhan teams up with Antibiotic Research UKA WORLDWIDE campaign designed to tackle antibiotic resistance is being supported by an Oldham GP.
Dr Zahid Chauhan, a GP at Royton Medical practice, has teamed up with Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK) to encourage people to make a few simple changes now and stop demanding antibiotics from their doctor.Read more->

Doctors urged Bolton residents to avoid demanding antibiotics in face of increased resistanceOUT-OF-HOURS doctors have called on Bolton residents to take action over antibiotics.
GPs from emergency out-of-hours health and dental service BARDOC have urged residents not to demand antibiotics from their doctor.
Out-of-hours GP and BARDOC director, Dr Zahid Chauhan, features in a new film to raise awareness about the threat to human health.
The film, called ‘Let’s stop trouble brewing for future generations’, will be released ahead of World Antibiotics Awareness Week, which commences on Monday, November 13.Read more->

Quartet make pledge for homelessThree local surgeries and a town centre charity are amongst the first organisations in the country to promise to be Homeless-Friendly.
In the company of Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd, The Dale Medical Practice, Nye Bevan House, plus The Strand and Bowness Road Family Practices, Middleton, pledged to examine their policies and procedures and ensure they cater for the homeless.Read more->

BBC NEWS: Greater Manchester GP practices start ‘homeless-friendly’ schemeHomeless patients are being urged to seek treatment at ten GP practices in Greater Manchester instead of accident and emergency departments.NHS policy states identification or proof of address is not needed to be seen by a GP, but some homeless people claim they have been turned away.
The scheme, which was set up by Dr Zahid Chauhan at social enterprise Beacon GP Care, has also seen survival kits, containing blankets, bottled water, sleeping bags and a list of surgeries, handed to rough sleepers.Read More->

M.E.N: A potentially life-changing new scheme will give homeless people vital access to healthcareHomeless people will now be able to access immediate healthcare at GP surgeries in Greater Manchester – and it could be life-changing.
Rough sleepers often struggle to see a doctor because they have no permanent address and find it difficult to register at a practice.Read more->

GP Online: Dr Zahid Chauhan: Stop turning GPs into admin machines and let them look after patientsGPs are drowning in administrative tasks, warns Manchester GP Dr Zahid Chauhan. The growing avalanche of demands on practices from schools, employers, charities have reached a critical point and must now be addressed to give general practice space to focus on looking after ill patients.Read more->

Rochdale Online:Rochdale puts helping the homeless into practiceRochdale is right at the heart of a new national campaign to make Britain homeless-friendly.
The Dale Medical Practice and the borough’s out-of-hours healthcare service BARDOC, are among the first nine concerns in the country to put that ethos into practice.
Run by social enterprise Beacon GP CARE and created by Nye Bevan House GP Dr Zahid Chauhan (who writes a regular column for Rochdale Online), the pioneering scheme asks organisations to examine their policies to make sure rough sleepers, sofa-surfers and others without a fixed abode get proper access to services and are reminded that they are valued members of society.Read More->

Statement in response to the election resultsOn June 9th, Dr Zahid Chauhan, Councillor for the Alexandra Ward in Oldham, said: “Last night’s extremely encouraging General Election results demonstrate that Labour policies really resonate with the people in our region.Read more ->

Statement in response to the terrorist attack at Manchester ArenaI send my sincere condolences to all those affected by the vile crime perpetrated at the Manchester Arena. The murder of any human being is deplorable but the fact that this was a targeted attack on children is a new low.Read more ->
Dr has Labour candidate appointment
Local GP and national health and charity champion Dr Zahid Chauhan will be interviewed tomorrow (Monday 8th May) for the Labour candidature for the crucial General Election seat of Rochdale.Read more ->

Dr Zahid Chauhan – just what the people of Rochdale ordered
A popular national health and social care campaigner is seeking Labour’s nomination for the seat of Rochdale – with a mandate to heal divisions and restore the town’s reputation as a hub of industry, diversity and prosperity.Read more ->Statement in response to the election announcement
Councillor Dr Zahid Chauhan, Chair of the Oldham West and Royton Labour Party said: “This is the most important General Election in Britain for decades and it is our opportunity to stop the march of right-wing politics and its dogma of division and self-interest.Read more ->Statement in response to the terror attacks in London
Councillor Dr Zahid Chauhan said: “My heart goes out to all of those affected by the terrible events in and around Westminster Square on March 22nd – particularly those who have lost loved ones.Read more ->
Doctor’s dismay at Prime Minister’s seven-day claim

A family doctor has written an open letter to Theresa May accusing her of breaking the bond of trust between patient and GP – by suggesting surgeries are not working hard enough.Read more ->

Gain some good advice on memory lossForgetfulness may not automatically be a sign of dementia. But even if it is, an early diagnosis can result in patients being able to enjoy a rich, long and rewarding life.Read more ->

Let’s break some bad habits and beat heart diseaseFebruary is traditionally the time when we think about affairs of the heart. But with the cold weather still upon us, it is also the month where we desperately need to pump out the message that heart disease kills.Read more ->

Advent of chocolate calendars adding to obesity crisis“Be selective about how much chocolate your child eats before Christmas and beyond.” That’s the message from local GP Dr Zahid Chauhan who is warning that the festive peak in treats could make children more obese…Read more ->

GPs on their knees due to unnecessary dutiesPatients are waiting longer for appointments because GPs are burdened with everything from having to ratify new disability claims to providing evidence of whiplash for specialist injury solicitors. So says Oldham GP Dr Zahid Chauhan who has revealed…Read more ->

Keeping out the cold this winter“There’s a lot of it about” is a phrase you are going to hear this and, I suspect, every other winter! As doctors, we would love to be able to prevent all of the coughs, headaches, sore throats and sickness that inevitably accompany a shift in season. But bugs are clever things…Read more ->